The present invention relates to fiber optic connectors and, more particularly, to devices for mounting fiber optic jacks in a patch panel or like device.
Patch panels and like cabinetry are widely employed in communication systems to facilitate connections along various distribution paths. For use with such panels, jacks have been designed to mount easily into the apertures of the patch panel to receive plugs from other points in the communications network.
As the use of fiber optics has increased in such networks, various jacks and plugs have been developed for use therewith. Frequently, these will not fit in the standard patch panels which have been utilized for copper cable distribution systems. Since many systems employ both wire and fiber pathways, it is desirable to adapt optical fiber jacks for mounting in the apertures of the standard patch panels which are extensively utilized in existing installations.
Moreover, some of the jacks developed for use with optical fibers have been intended for use with only a single fiber. More recently, there has been growing use of jacks which would receive two fibers and therefore greatly increase the capacity of the distribution system.
Moreover, another problem arises in the use of optical fiber connectors, namely the need to minimize the strain on the fiber optic elements at the points of connection to the jacks and the jacks to the patch panels. It will be appreciated that excessive strain or curvature or crushing forces could injure the fiber and destroy the efficiency of transmission. Thus, there has been an increasing need for adapters which would enable the use of the various types of jacks in standard and existing patch panels and cabinetry.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel fiber management module assembly for use with existing patch panels and like cabinetry.
It is also an object to provide such an optical fiber management module assembly which supports the optical fibers at their point of connection to the jack and to the patch panel in a manner which will reduce strain and potential injury to the optical fibers.
Another object is to provide such an optical fiber management module assembly which can be quickly and easily fabricated at relatively low cost.
Still another object is to provide such an optical fiber management module assembly which can be readily assembled with an existing jack for mounting of that jack in existing patch panels and like cabinetry.
It has now been found that the foregoing and related objects may be readily attained in an optical fiber management module assembly for mounting in a patch panel aperture. The assembly includes an adapter having a housing portion at its proximal end providing a cavity dimensioned and configured to seat the proximal end of a jack therein, and having a channel portion at the other end providing a channel leading into the cavity. The housing portion has a pair of arms extending forwardly from the end of the cavity for passage into an aperture in the patch panel and engageable with the wall of the patch panel about the aperture to mount the adapter on the patch panel.
A fiber management clip has an engagement portion at its proximal end with a projecting arm engaged with the other end of the adapter. The engagement portion has side walls defining a recess for the distal end of the jack, and a guidance portion at the other end of the clip has channels extending longitudinally thereof in which optical fibers may be seated and led into the jack. A latch on the guidance portion extends over the channels and is engaged with the guidance portion to retain the fibers in the channels.
In its preferred form, each of the pair of arms has a lip portion at the proximal end thereof with the lip portions extending oppositely and being engageable with the wall of the patch panel. The housing portion has top, bottom and side walls and the pair of arms are preferably disposed on the bottom and top walls. At least one of the top wall and the bottom wall has slits extending therein from the proximal end thereof to provide flexure for the associated arm and to facilitate insertion of the arm into the patch panel aperture. The bottom wall of the housing portion has an arm extending distally therefrom for engagement with a jack seated therein.
Preferably, the channel portion of the housing portion has a bottom wall and side walls, and the bottom wall has an aperture therein adjacent the distal end thereof, and the projecting arm of the fiber management clip has a lip thereon which is engageable in the aperture in the bottom wall.
Desirably, the guidance portion of the fiber management clip is upwardly offset from the engagement portion, and it has a generally horizontal portion adjacent the engagement portion and a downwardly inclined portion spaced therefrom. The latch of the fiber management clip is integrally formed with the guidance portion, and the latch projects from one side of the guidance portion and is hinged to the one side and foldable over the channels.
Preferably, the latch has a leg portion at its free end extending along the opposite side of the guidance portion, and the leg portion has an aperture adjacent its free end. The opposite side of the guidance portion has a boss thereon which is frictionally seated in the aperture.